The present invention generally relates to a form for printing mailpiece information relating to mail handling for attachment to a mailpiece as well as a method for preparing a mailpiece for delivery by a special service, such as registered mail, certified mail, insured mail, or the like. More specifically, the present invention relates to a form which may have a plurality of detachable parts capable of having mailing information printed thereon by a printer or the like. The form may have two sheets: a first sheet having a plurality of detachable parts and a second sheet to which the first sheet may be adhesively attached. Electronically-imaged postage, accessed through the internet, may be printed on the form.
It is, of course, generally known to provide specialized postal processing for a mailpiece. A mailpiece may require delivery by one or more of a variety of special services, such as certified mail, registered mail, insured mail, or the like. Preparation may involve the printing of mailing information onto, for example, a label. The printing of information may be done manually or by, for example, a printer or the like.
To this end, forms are known which allow a printer to print mailing information onto a plurality of adhesive labels contained within the form. The labels may then be affixed to a mailpiece. However, known forms may contain non-uniform layers, having both adhesive and non-adhesive portions, which may make the form expensive to manufacture.
Of course, a mailpiece requires postage to be affixed thereto for delivery. Special service delivery of a mailpiece also requires additional postage to effect delivery. It is also generally known to provide postage for a mailpiece. The postage may be provided by a postage meter or other device. The postage may be generally attached to a mailpiece separate from the attachment of mailing information. Preparation of a mailpiece for delivery then becomes tedious and/or time-consuming.
Postage may also be provided by access to the internet. A user may download the postage from an internet postage supplier. The postage may then be stored within a central processing unit. The postage may be electronically transmitted to a printer and printed. However, known postage systems provide postage on forms separate from those forms receiving mailing information such as sender and recipient information or the like. Further, known postage provided on the internet takes various forms and configurations which requires different forms to be used or a separate form for the postage than what is used for the special service mailing form.
A need, therefore, exists for a mailing label and method for preparing a mailpiece for delivery by a special service that provides a label capable of having both mailing information and postage printed simultaneously and using the same form.